Mitt Romney and Robert Bork

A bizarre choice by Romney
Politics • Views: 37,359

I wasn’t going to vote for Mitt Romney anyway, but now I’m really not going to vote for Mitt Romney, after learning that the so-called “moderate” Republican has selected as one of his chief judicial advisers none other than paleo-right throwback Robert Bork.

ThinkProgress lists some of Bork’s better known bad craziness (there’s much more):

  • Opposition To Civil Rights: One year before President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned whites-only lunch counters and other forms of discrimination, Bork criticized the Act as a moral abomination. “The principle of such legislation is that if I find your behavior ugly by my standards, moral or aesthetic, and if you prove stubborn about adopting my view of the situation, I am justified in having the state coerce you into more righteous paths. That is itself a principle of unsurpassed ugliness.”
  • No Right To Contraception: In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court held that married couples have a constitutional right to use contraception — a decision that was later extended to all couples. Bork called this decision “utterly specious” and a “time bomb.”
  • Banning Porn, Art and Science : Bork also called for shrinking the size of the First Amendment until it is small enough to be drowned in a bathtub. “Constitutional protection should be accorded only to speech that is explicitly political. There is no basis for judicial intervention to protect any other form of expression, be it scientific, literary or that variety of expression we call obscene or pornographic.”
  • Believes Government Can Criminalize Sex: In its landmark Lawrence v. Texas decision, the Supreme Court reached the obvious conclusion that it is none of the government’s damn business who anyone is having sex with — overruling a previous decision in Bowers v. Hardwick. Bork, however, wrote that “Bowers v. Hardwick, which upheld the community’s right to prohibit homosexual conduct, may be a sign that the Court is recovering its balance … . I am dubious about making homosexual conduct criminal, but I favor even less imposing rules upon the American people that have no basis other than the judge’s morality.”
  • No Constitutional Protection for Women: Bork also claimed that the Constitution does not shield women from gender discrimination. In Bork’s words, “I do think the equal protection clause probably should be kept to things like race and ethnicity.”
Related

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63 comments
1 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:20:50pm

Criminalize sex?

No more Rent Boys!

2 laZardo  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:21:24pm

Bork is somebody Goldwater must have been friends with back in the day. Just in case you were wondering what conservatism was really all about.

3 makeitstop  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:21:32pm

re: #1 ggt

Criminalize sex?

No more Rent Boys!

Republicans would get Special Dispensation for their rent boys.
/

4 Kragar  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:22:35pm

Mitt, you fucking idiot

5 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:25:35pm

He's trying so hard to be part of the in crowd, kinda like the mormon church being one of the chief backers against prop 8....

6 jaunte  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:25:49pm

Fruitlessly trying to lean hard right enough. It won't work.

7 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:25:50pm

Meanwhile in a parallel thread far far away: Samson Unleashed!

8 Alexzander  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:28:16pm

re: #6 jaunte

Fruitlessly trying to lean hard right enough. It won't work.

Nope - he has already lost that demographic. He should go for the center and those alienated by the current moods of the GOP/Tea Party.

9 The Ghost of a Flea  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:29:28pm

It's hard to take a man seriously when his last name sounds like an exclamation by the Swedish Chef.

10 The Yankee  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:30:55pm

I don't know I like this guy when he was on Sesame Street, and his daughter is a kick ass singer.
But I guess you haters got hate don't yall.

11 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:31:10pm

re: #9 The Ghost of a Flea

It's hard to take a man seriously when his last name sounds like an exclamation by the Swedish Chef.

from the Muppets!

12 theheat  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:31:31pm

Klukker Lite becomes a Mormon's darling because he hasn't let Mitt know how much he thinks Mormons suck yet.

13 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:32:46pm

The chef on Sesame Street has a daughter?

Or is that Chef on South Park?

14 Varek Raith  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:33:02pm

Hey Romney?
You'll never be the popular guy at school.
Just stop trying.
It looks pathetic.

15 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:33:52pm

Frank Rules:

I think you should leave it up to the parent, because not all parents want to keep their children totally ignorant. -- Frank Zappa in response to a question from Senator Hollings.

16 teleskiguy  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:34:08pm

Robert Bork is so arch-conservatice he ruled against abortion in the landmark Supreme Court case Rosemary vs. Baby!

17 Summer Seale  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:34:30pm

Wow, he wouldn't protect scientific speech?

Mitt, we already had a Dark Ages, and it took us several hundred years to leave them behind. Please don't drag us back.

By the way, if you want to see an amazing scientific presentation, which is also very funny and incredibly informative about Cosmology, I just got done watching this earlier today:

Lawrence Krauss on a Universe from Nothing (literally). It's mind blowing what is and, more importantly, isn't out there.

It's an hour long and worth watching every single minute (and quite a few laughs as well).

18 The Yankee  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:34:51pm

re: #13 ggt

The chef on Sesame Street has a daughter?

Or is that Chef on South Park?

You never heard of this women

Image: bjork-debut-front1%5B1%5D.jpg

[Link: sharing-my-music.blogspot.com...]

19 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:35:52pm

re: #18 The Yankee

You never heard of this women

Image: bjork-debut-front1%5B1%5D.jpg

[Link: sharing-my-music.blogspot.com...]

No, I'm sheltered.

20 Gretchen G.Tiger  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:36:20pm

going to go see my Mommy.

Have a great afternoon all!

21 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:38:10pm

I'm going to stay off this thread. I've tended towards a positive view of Bork, but I not presently equipped to offer a proper defense of him (assuming I can mount one). So I'm just going to say nothing on this topic until I'm better prepared.

22 mr.fusion  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:38:56pm

And this is the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party?????

I like Obama a lot, and it would take somebody special to get me to vote the other way next November......but God I'd at least like to have that decision to make. The GOP is making it pretty easy

23 wrenchwench  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:39:28pm

re: #21 Dark_Falcon

I'm going to stay off this thread. I've tended towards a positive view of Bork, but I not presently equipped to offer a proper defense of him (assuming I can mount one). So I'm just going to say nothing on this topic until I'm better prepared.

Maybe it is time to reevaluate.

24 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:39:45pm
There is no basis for judicial intervention to protect any other form of expression, be it scientific, literary or that variety of expression we call obscene or pornographic.”

straight-up Anti-American, nice

25 wrenchwench  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:40:10pm

All I can say is it's a good thing he got Borked.

26 makeitstop  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:40:48pm

re: #25 wrenchwench

All I can say is it's a good thing he got Borked.

What are the odds? :)

27 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:44:39pm

Oh look, his screed!

And like all the rest of these pathetic dimwits, they all scream "fascism" at liberals

I don't want this pig anywhere near the government, basically

28 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:46:09pm
29 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:47:01pm

Bork never was willing to understand that he cost himself the SC when he opened his mouth and proved what he was.

30 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:48:36pm

re: #29 wlewisiii

Bork never was willing to understand that he cost himself the SC when he opened his mouth and proved what he was.

To our great relief, Robert Bork was about as self-aware as a mollusk

31 (I Stand By What I Said Whatever It Was)  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:50:10pm
32 HappyWarrior  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:51:08pm

It was a blessing that Bork got rejected by the Senate. And it's truly telling of the modern Republican party that Romney with this guy as an adviser is seen as a moderate. Makes me cringe.

33 Kragar  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:52:42pm

re: #28 Dreggas

Hannity's understanding of women's health

for teh lulz.

Hannity is a twit.

34 Killgore Trout  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:52:49pm

re: #31 000G

New article by Lizardoid oslogin: Journalist resource: So, what’s the deal with Fjordman?

Thanks for posting that.

35 Charles Johnson  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:54:37pm

Reposting from the Fjordman thread -- here's 2007 me, predicting what's happening now: LGF Comment

Believe me, Fjordman, I'm wondering tonight why I ever thought you had anything worthwhile to say. If the time comes when it "backfires" on me that I linked to your essays, I'll be happy to say "Mea culpa."

Interestingly, the only people trying to make it "backfire" on me are the very people I renounced in 2007.

36 engineer cat  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:58:09pm

“The principle of such legislation is that if I find your behavior ugly by my standards, moral or aesthetic, and if you prove stubborn about adopting my view of the situation, I am justified in having the state coerce you into more righteous paths. That is itself a principle of unsurpassed ugliness.”

lets take the wingnut rhetorical tricks approach to this:

Bork Would Condemn 10 Commandments As "A Principle Of Unsurpassed Ugliness"

37 makeitstop  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:58:53pm

Slight bit of good news - he's apparently finally shaved that scary-ass beard.

38 (I Stand By What I Said Whatever It Was)  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 1:59:33pm

re: #35 Charles

Reposting from the Fjordman thread -- here's 2007 me, predicting what's happening now: LGF Comment

Interestingly, the only people trying to make it "backfire" on me are the very people I renounced in 2007.

Lots of mishegas and tohuwabohu in those days. LGF came out much stronger.

Thanks for that.

39 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:00:58pm

re: #38 000G

tohuwabohu

Is that from Genesis?

40 Our Precious Bodily Fluids  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:01:40pm

There is a 16th or 17th-century painting whose title and author I don't know (I thought it might have been Caravaggio, but no) of a leering guy who looks disturbingly similar to Bork. Pretend that I found it and then posted a link to it.

41 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:01:41pm

re: #39 Sergey Romanov

Ah yes, it is. Nevermind.

42 HappyWarrior  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:04:29pm

Regarding Bork, the fact that my former senator, John Warner voted to reject his confirmation is one of many reasons why I respected that man as my senator. Truly a country first, party second individual.

43 darthstar  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:09:17pm
44 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:09:55pm

Bodissey is May, but who is Dymphna?

45 wrenchwench  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:10:40pm

re: #44 Sergey Romanov

Bodissey is May, but who is Dymphna?

Mrs. May. That's all I know.

46 SanFranciscoZionist  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:12:13pm

re: #44 Sergey Romanov

Bodissey is May, but who is Dymphna?

Patron saint of the mentally ill.

47 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:15:45pm

Oyvind points out a scary Fjordman quote:

Perhaps we can do the same once the Multicultural madness retreats. We need to make sure, though, that those who have championed the toxic ideas of Multiculturalism and mass immigration of alien tribes disappear with it. If that happens, we can give our descendants a fresh start and lay the foundations for a new Renaissance, where European civilization can flourish once more.

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

48 makeitstop  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:21:11pm

Uh-oh...

Govt official: US expecting S&P downgrade

From the article:

A source says Republicans saying that they refuse to accept any tax increases as part of a larger deal will be part of the reason cited.

49 BongCrodny  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:24:30pm

re: #21 Dark_Falcon

I'm going to stay off this thread. I've tended towards a positive view of Bork, but I not presently equipped to offer a proper defense of him (assuming I can mount one). So I'm just going to say nothing on this topic until I'm better prepared.


If your defense of Bork includes any variations of the phrase "a brilliant legal scholar," we've heard it before.

50 acacia  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 2:49:23pm

re: #49 BongCrodny

"If your defense of Bork includes any variations of the phrase "a brilliant legal scholar," we've heard it before."

I'm not sure what exactly that means. Bork is widely regarded as a brilliant legal scholar. Why do there have to be personal attacks on people who have differing interpretations of the Constitution? As to making homosexual sex criminal, Bork volunteers that it is an unwise choice - a choice would NOT make. His point is simply that people can decide as a society what they want to criminalize so long as it's constitutional. Isn't it better to have the people strike down laws regarding homosexual sex by initiative or by electing those who will repeal the laws, than trying to read something into the Constitution that isn't there?

51 wrenchwench  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 3:07:23pm

re: #50 acacia

Isn't it better to have the people strike down laws regarding homosexual sex by initiative or by electing those who will repeal the laws, than trying to read something into the Constitution that isn't there?

No. I don't expect to find the word "homosexual" in the Constitution in order to decide that homosexuals have all the rights that everyone else has.

52 CuriousLurker  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 3:37:44pm

re: #51 wrenchwench

No. I don't expect to find the word "homosexual" in the Constitution in order to decide that homosexuals have all the rights that everyone else has.

QFT. Or women, blacks, hispanics, asians, atheists, Muslims, Jews, Hindus...

53 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 3:39:10pm

re: #50 acacia

I'm sure he's a brilliant legal scholar on cube world where the only inhabitants are square headed Supermen and Lois lanes


here on really real earth, he's an extremist prick who thinks the 1st amendment means nothing

54 Ojoe  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 4:41:47pm

The Mormon thing is a deal killer for me. That's politically incorrect, I know, but there it is.

55 wrenchwench  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 4:57:32pm

re: #54 Ojoe

The Mormon thing is a deal killer for me. That's politically incorrect, I know, but there it is.

It's not "politically incorrect", it's bigoted.

56 BongCrodny  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 5:01:46pm

re: #50 acacia

Why do there have to be personal attacks on people who have differing interpretations of the Constitution?


You and I must have two different opinions on what a personal attack is.

All I wrote was that we've heard the "brilliant legal scholar" bit before, over and over and over, while the "brilliant legal scholar" now distinguishes himself by aligning with the "grown-up Republican" -- who, if you've been paying attention, is the *first* of the "grown-ups" to sign the Wacko Pledge the fringe candidates are pimping.

If that's brilliant, give me folks who are a little more dim, please.

57 Idle Drifter  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 5:59:44pm

With the recent victory of protecting video games as a form of free speech, this guy doesn't so much scare me as infuriate me. It's people like this that just want to suck the fun out of life because they don't understand that they can swing their arms all they want but they can't even touch the tip of anyone's nose.

For people that bitch about government intervention in their private lives they really don't have a problem with it so it stops "wicked" behavior.

My Late Two Cents.

58 WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.]  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 6:40:31pm

re: #54 Ojoe

The Mormon thing is a deal killer for me. That's politically incorrect, I know, but there it is.


hahaha we can always count on you

59 MittDoesNotCompute  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 6:40:37pm

re: #54 Ojoe

That's some bigoted bullshit right there and if you can't see or realize that, then I have absolutely no use for you or anyone that thinks the way you do about the "Mormon thing".

What part of this:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.


do you or the RR kooks that also oppose Romney (or Huntsman) for being Mormon not understand?

60 OhCrapIHaveACrushOnSarahPalin  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 7:29:18pm

re: #21 Dark_Falcon

I'm going to stay off this thread. I've tended towards a positive view of Bork, but I not presently equipped to offer a proper defense of him (assuming I can mount one). So I'm just going to say nothing on this topic until I'm better prepared.

The only positive thing about Bork was him borking himself.

Bork can go bork off.

61 OhCrapIHaveACrushOnSarahPalin  Fri, Aug 5, 2011 7:31:58pm

re: #47 Sergey Romanov

Oyvind points out a scary Fjordman quote:

"Perhaps we can do the same once the Multicultural madness retreats. We need to make sure, though, that those who have championed the toxic ideas of Multiculturalism and mass immigration of alien tribes disappear with it. If that happens, we can give our descendants a fresh start and lay the foundations for a new Renaissance, where European civilization can flourish once more."

His ideas are no different than the average American social/cultural conservative bigots he's imitating. Not one drop of difference.

62 Lord Baron Viscount Duke Earl Count Planckton  Sat, Aug 6, 2011 2:28:45am

re: #54 Ojoe

The Mormon thing is a deal killer for me. That's politically incorrect, I know, but there it is.

But why?

63 FrankZappaLives  Sat, Aug 6, 2011 10:45:38am

"I'd Rather Be A Hard-Ass Dork Than A Wet-Ass Bork"
- seen on a poster over 20 years ago


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